Exhibition apparatus



July 30, 1929. WMCLARK' 1,722,659

EXHIBITION APPARATUS Filed NOV. 16, 1927 I 5 Sheets-Sheet l 2.2%.]; 2 a 0 INVENTOR Will M. Clark ATTORNEY-5 July 30, 1929.

W. M. CLARK EXHIBITION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 16, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet I INVENTOR W1 M. C/ar/r.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES WILL M. CLARK, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

EXHIBITION APPARATUS.

Application filed November 16, 1927.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved display apparatus de signed especially for educational purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. display apparatus wherein a number of working display models are mounted upon supporting panels. These panels are removably mounted in upright positions upon a supporting frame and are adapted tobe interchanged upon the frame to place the models in proper sequence and to permit thepanels to be removed from the frame and replaced by similar panels bearing other models of different character. Power means are provided for driving or working the models andsaid power means have driving connections with the Various models, which permit said interchange or removal of the panels to be readily accomplished and also enable the rearranged panels and models to be asily reconnected to the power means.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 a rear view thereof;

Fig. 3 a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. an enlarged detail horizontal section taken on the line ll. of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 a detail horizontal sectional view showing one of the driving elements;

Fig. (i a front face view of one of the removable panels bearing a model; and

Fig. 7 a vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. (3.

The apparatus comprises an upright frame structure 1 including a square 01' rectangular frame 2 and supporting legs 4. Mounted within the frame 2 are two vertical angle irons 5 at the sides. and three vertical T-irons 6 equally spaced between the side irons. These vertical members divide the space within the frame 2 into four sections and form seats for a plurality of removable panels 8. In the present instance there are sixteen seat spaces all of the same size to receive an equal number of panels arranged in four vertical rows and four horizontal rows. The angle irons 5 and the T-irons (3 are disposed so that one flange of each extends forward to form side walls for the panel-receiving spaces, and the other flange or flanges form abutments 9 for the Serial No. 233.592.

panels. The vertical irons are rigidly secured to the surrounding frame 2 in any suitable manner.

Each panel 8 is in the form of a square, flat board or plate of a size to accurately fit any one of the seat spaces. The side margins of the panel bear against the rear frame abutinents 9 and are. detachably held thereto by four screws 10 which are passed rearwardly through apertures in the panel and through apertures in the abutments. The latter apertures are so spaced along the abutments as to ensure the proper positioning of the panels. \Vinged nuts 11 are threaded upon the rear ends of the screws. All of the panels are removably held in place in this manner and all are of the same size. Consequently they are interchangeable in the. frame structure. Upon the upper edge of each panel is secured a flat black strip 7 and when the panels are assembled in the frame structure these strips aline across the frame and form markings which divide the display surface into squares.

Secured to the front face of each panel are one or more working models M having parts which are mounted for relative movement. In the present showing these models are designed to illustrate a variety of mechanical movements and all of the models are power driven. The panel shown in Fig. (3, for example, bears two rotatably mounted gears which form a Geneva movement. The driver gear I) of the movement is fixed to a shaft 12 rotatably mounted in the panel and projecting from the rear face thereof. A belt pulley 13 is mounted upon the projecting end of the shaft. This pulley is formed with two belt grooves and is adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the shaft and to be fixed thereto in an adjusted position by a set screw 14. The follower gear F is fixed to a short shaft 15 which is rotatably mounted in the panel 8 and held against endwise withdrawal by a collar 16. The panels which carry the other models are also provided with drive shafts and double grooved pulleys for operating the respective models. All of these driving elements are arranged at the rear of the panels. Certain of the models which have reciprocating parts, such as the air hammer and the lift and force pump, require additional driving mechanisms. These mechanisms, however,

' form no part of the present invention and they have been omitted in order to simplify the showing.

Mounted within one of the lower corners of the frame 2, behind the panels, is an electric motor 17 The shaft 18 of the motor is operatively connected to a transmission unit comprising a worm 19 which meshes with a worm wheel 20 fixed to a shaft 21. A main drive pulley 22 is fixed to the shaft 21 and provided with a plurality of belt grooves.

Upon the rear side of the central T-iron 6 of the division frame a plurality of stub shafts 23 are secured. An intermediate drive pulley 24 is rotatably mounted upon each shaft and held against endwise withdrawal by an adjustable collar 25. Each of these intermediate pulleys is provided with a number of belt grooves, four in the present instance, and there is one pulley for each of the four horizontal rows of panels.

Leading from the main drive pulley 22 of the transmission unit to the lowermost intermediate pulley 24 is a main driving belt 26. The remaining intermediate pulleys are connected in series to the lowermost pulley by belts 27, 28 and 29. From each intermediate pulley branch belts 30 lead out in opposite directions to certain of the pulleys 13 carried by the model-supporting panels. Other belts 31 lead from some of said latter pulleys to the pulleys 13 carried by adjacent panels so that the motor has driving connections with all of the models for driving them simultaneously. The branch belts 30 may lead to the nearest pulleys 13 or they may stretch across an intervening panel to the outer pulleys, whichever way is found most convenient or desirable in any particular case. The belts are slender and may be easily expanded to detach them from the model-driving pulleys 13 when it is desired to remove or rearrange the panels 8.

The display apparatus is particularly designed for educational purposes. In the set-up shown in Fig. 1 a group of models representing a variety of mechanical movements is displayed. This display is useful in instructing students in the subject of mechanics. The models are arranged in proper sequence and displayed like drawings upon a blackboard, each panel being captioned with the name of the mechanism which it supports. When the motor is started the models are operated and the operation and theory of any one of the mechanisms is made clear to the student at a glance. If it is desired to interchange any of the models to place them in a certain sequence, the panels bearing them are removed by detaching the bolts 30 or 31, connected thereto at the rear, unscrewing the wing nuts 11 and withdrawing the panels forwardly from the division frame 3. They may be then replaced in their selected seats and the belts reconnected.

These shifts may be made without disturbing the main drive belt 26 or the intermediate belts 27, 28 and 29. In the same manner any or all of the panels may be removed and replaced by another set of panels hearing other models. The frame structure, the motor, and the major driving connections remain a permanently assembled unit to removably and interchangeably support the panels. A large number of the latter, hearing" a great variety of models, may be held in reserve or ordered from the manufacturer and placed in the frame when needed.

The forward edges of the vertical arms 5 and 6 and of the horizontal strips 7 extend out beyond the front faces and clearly define and separate the different display areas. The main frame is also of materially greater fore-and-aft depth than the various mechanisms so that closure plates 32 can be mounted against the front and rear edges of the frame to cover and protect the models and driving mechanisms during shipment or storage.

While I have disclosed what I now consider the preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to this precise structure or to the particular use set forth. but reserve the right to make such changes as will lie within the scope of the claims. The apparatus is obviously well adapted for other uses. For example, -it would be extremely useful for advertising purposes.

What I claim is:

1. A display apparatus comprising an upright supporting frame; a plurality of interchangeable display panels removably supported by said frame in upright positions; display models with movable parts carried by said panels at their front faces; driving elements for said models carried by the panels at their rear faces; a power source; and detachable driving connections between said driving elements and the power source, whereby the panels may be interchanged upon the frame and may be removed from the frame and replaced by other panels bearing different models to be driven by the power source.

2. A display apparatus comprising an upright supporting frame; a plurality of interchangeable display panels removably supported by said frame in upright positions; display models with movable parts carried by said panels at their front faces; power means; and detachable driving connections between said power means and the display models and located at the rear of the panels, whereby the panels may be interchanged upon the frame and may be re moved therefrom and replaced by others.

3. A display apparatus comprising an upright supporting frame; a plurality of interchangeable display panels removably supported by said frame in upright positions; display models with movable parts carried by said panels at their front faces; driving elements for said models carried by the panels and extending from their rear faces; power means; a plurality of intermediate driving elements mounted at fixed spaced positions upon the frame at the rear thereof; driving connections between said power means and said intermediate driving elements; and detachable driving connections between said intermediate elements and the said driving elements carried by the panels.

4. A display apparatus comprising an upright frame structure; a plurality of interchangeable panels adapted to be removably mount-ed upon said frame structure in upright positions and in several Vertical rows; display models carried by said panels at their front faces and provided with movable parts; driving elements for said models carried by the panels at their rear faces; a motor carried by the frame structure; a vertical row of intermediate driving elements carried by the frame structure and located between the Vertical rows of panels; driving connections between said motor and said intermediate driving elements; and detachable driving connections between the intermediate driving elements and the drivin elements carried by the panels.

a. A display apparatus comprising an upright supporting frame; a plurality of interchangeable display panels supported by said frame in upright positions; independent releasable fastening means for each panel to hold it to the frame and permit it to be removed therefrom independently of the other panels; display models with movable parts carried by said panels at their front faces; driving elements for said models carried by the panels at their rear faces; a power source; and detachable driving connections between said driving elements and the power source whereby the panels may be interchanged upon the frame and may be removed from the frame and replaced by other panels hearing different models to be driven by the power source.

6. A display apparatus comprising a rectangular open frame; means supporting said frame upright and elevated; at plurality of interchangeable display panels all of the same size and form and bearing models with movable parts upon their front faces; grooved pulleys carried by said panels at their rear faces for driving said movable parts; means carried by said frame, within its rectangular space, defining seats arranged in the same plane for receiving and supporting said panels disposed substantially edge to edge in a plurality of vertical rows; means to removably and interchangeably hold said panels to their seats; a vertical row of intermediate pulleys carried by the frame between said panel rows and baclc of them, each intermediate pul ey being formed with a plurality of belt grooves; motor carried by the frame; driving connections between said motor and the intermediate pulleys; and detachable belt driving connections between the intermediate pulleys and the model-driving pulleys at either side thereof. i

7. A display apparatus comprising an open frame; means supporting said frame upright and elevated; a plurality of interchangeable opaque display panels all of the same size and form and bearing models with movable parts upon their front faces; an operating member connected to each model and extending through the panel to the rear thereof; an operating element carried by each of said members at the rear of each panel; means carried by said frame. within its rectangular space defining seats arranged in the same plane for receiving and supporting said panels disposed substantially edge to edge in a plurality of vertical rows; means to removably and interchangeably holdsaid panels to their seats; a vertical row of intermediate pulleys carried by the frame between said panel rows and back of them; a motor carried by the frame; driving connections between said motor and the intermediate pulleys;-and driving means detachably connecting each of said operat ing elements back of the panels to said intermediate driving pulleys to give to each of the models the required character speed and direction of movement, the assembled panels and frame forming an opaque screen to conceal the driving means.

8. A display apparatus comprising an open frame; means supporting said frame upright and elevated; a plurality of interchangeable opaque display panels all of the same size and form and bearing models with movable parts upon their front faces; an operating member connected to each model and extending through the panel to the rear thereof; an operating element of uniform character carried by each operating member at the rear of each panel; means carried by the frame within its space, defining seats arranged in the same plane for receiving and supporting said panels disposed substantially edge to edge in a plurality of vertical rows; means to removably and interchangeably hold said panels to their seats; a vertical row of intermediate pulleys carried by the frame between said panels and back of them; a motor carried by the frame; driving connections between said motor and the intermediate pulleys; and driving means detachably connecting each of said operating elements back of the panels to said intermediate pulleys to give to eachof the models the required character speed and direction of movement, the assembled panel and frame forming an opaque screen to conceal the driving means.

9. A display apparatus comprising a rectangular open frame; means supporting said frame upright and elevated; means carried by said frame within its rectangular space defining seats arranged in the same, plane for removably and interchangeably receiving and supporting a plurality of display panels arranged upright and substantially edge to edge in vertical rows and bearing working models; a vertical row of grooved intermediate driving pulleys carried by the frame between said panel rows and back of them, each intermediate pulley being formed with a plurality of belt grooves; and driving means for the intermediate pulleys, said pulleys being adapted to be operativelyconnected to the models.

10. A display apparatus comprising an open frame; means supporting said frame elevated; means carried by said frame within its space defining seats to removably and interchangeably receive a plurality of display models arranged in rows and facing in the same direction and bearing working models; a row of grooved intermediate driving pulleys carried by the frame between said panel rows and back of them, each intermediate pulley being formed with a plurality of belt grooves; and driving means for the intermediate pulleys, said pulleys being adapted to be operatively connected to the models.

11. A display apparatus comprising an open frame; means supporting said frame upright; a plurality of interchangeable opaque display panels all ofthe same size and form and bearing models with movable parts upon their front faces requiring different characters, speeds and directions of motion; belt pulleys each provided with a plurality of grooves carried by the panels at their rear faces for driving said movable parts; means supported within the frame space, defining seats arranged in the same plane for receiving and supporting said panels substantially edge to edge in a plurality of rows to form an opaque screen; means to removably and interchangeably hold said panels to their seats; a row of intermediate pulleys supported between the panel rows and back of them, each intermediate pulley being formed with a plurality of belt grooves; driving means for said intermediate pulleys; detachable belt driving connections between the intermediatepulleys and certain of said panel pulleys at opposite sides of the row of intermediate pulleys to give to each of the models the required character speed and direction of motion; and detachable belt driving connections between certain of said driven panel pulleys and other panel pulleys, whereby all of said models are simultaneously driven from the same source and all of thepanels are removable and interchangeable. v

12. A display apparatus comprising an open frame; a plurality of interchangeable display panels bearing working display models upon their front faces and operating shafts for said models. extending through the rear faces of the panels; pulleys mounted upon said shafts and each formed with a plurality of belt grooves; means to adjust said pulleys longitudinally upon their shafts; means supported within the frame space delining seats arranged in the same plane for removably and interchangeably receiving and supporting said panels substantially edge to edge in a plurality of rows; a row of intermediate pulleys supported between the panel rows and back of them, each intermediate pulley being formed with a plurality of belt grooves; driving means for the intermediate pulleys; detachable belt driving connections between the intermediate pulleys and certain of said panel pulleys at opposite sides of said row of intermediate pulleys; and detachable belt driving connections between certain of said driven panel pulleys and other panel pulleys.

13. A display apparatus comprising an open frame; means supporting said frame upright; a plurality of interchangeable display panels all of the same size and form and bearing models with movable parts upon their front faces; belt pulleys each provided with a plurality of grooves carried by the panels at their rear faces for driving said movable parts means supported within the frame space defining seats arranged in the same plane for receiving and supporting said panels substantially edge to edge in a plurality of rows; means to removably and interchangeably hold said panels to their seats; a row of intermediate pulleys supported between the panel rows and back of them, each intermediate pulley being formed with a plurality of belt grooves; driving means for the intermediate pulleys; detachable belt driving connections between the intermediate pulleys and certain of said panel pulleys at opposite sides of the row of intermediate pulleys; and detachable belt driving connections between certain of said driven panel pulleys and other panel pulleys, whereby all of said models are simultaneously driven from the same source and all of the panels are removable and interchangeable; and means to adjust the panel pulleys longitudinally of their axes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto a'liix my signature.

WILL M. CLARK. 

